Sponge mop



June 14, 1960 c. A. CHANNELL 1 SPONGE MOP Filed NOV. 9, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 June 14, 1960 c. A. CHANNELL 2,940,101

SPONGE MOP Filed NOV. 9, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2' a M fi iivrrze fitates i atent @tfi aailaiei Patented June 14, 1960 SPONGE MOP Charles Arthur Channel], Evanston, Ill., assignor to American-Marietta Company, OCedar Division, Chicago, 11]., a corporation of Illinois Filed Nov. 9, 1956, Ser. No. 621,306

8 Claims. (Cl. 15-119) an integral part of the mop. Further, when the competi tion is as keen as it has been, necessary features of new mops are that they be inexpensive and wear resistant.

The present invention provides a new and improved sponge mop which includes all of the above desirable features. A simple inexpensive squeezing linkage is attached to the mop and is operable to squeeze the sponge by bending it over upon itself. Wear of the sponge caused by repeated bending is minimized by providing the sponge with a free portion where the bending occurs so as to eliminate shown having a block of sponge material 11 with a top surface 12, a front surface 13, and a rear surface 14. A front plate 15 of metal or any other rigid material is secured to the front of the top 12 of the sponge 11 and extends laterally there across. Similarly a rear plate 16 is secured and extends laterally across the rear of the top surface 12. These plates are secured to the sponge as by glue or any other suitable means. Further, the plates are provided with upwardly extending bifurcated mounting ing lugs 17 and 18, respectively, to permit easy attachment and removal of the sponge and plates structure from the rest of the mop assembly.

It is apparent from the drawings that the sponge has a free portion 19 intermediate the plate 15 and the plate 16. This portion 19 permits flexing of the sponge so that it can be bent over on itself when the rear plate 16 is forced arcuately downwardly in the direction of the front plate 15 by means which will be described below. The bending is thus distributed over the free portion eliminating a sharp bend and reducing the likelihood of cracking the sponge upon repeated squeezing. To further protect the sponge against wear and tear, a reinforcing sheet 20 of heavy cloth material or any other suitable flexible non-elastic substance extends across the top 12 of the sponge and is secured to the top of the front plate 15, the

v flexible portion 19 and the rear plate 16 by gluing or any sharp bends and by providing a reinforcing sheet over the other means. Reinforcing sheet 2%) is provided with apertures suitably located to permit mounting lugs 17 and 13 to pass therethrough. This sheet fixes the relative positions of these members reinforcing the sponge against stretching and preventing cracking of the top of the sponge when it is bent over upon itself.

A handle receiving arm 21 extends upwardly and rearwardly from the front plate 15 and is provided with a bifurcated lower end 22 which is mountable over the mounting lug 17 of the front plate 15 for rigid attachment thereto as by a nut and bolt as shown at 23. The arm 21 is maintained in a rigid fixed position with respect to the plate 15 by being mounted with its fiat lower surface 24 mop wherein the mop is bent and squeezed by forcing a plate at the rear of the sponge in the direction of a plate at the front of the sponge so that the sponge is squeezed therebetween.

Still another object of this invention is to produce a sponge mop of the type described wherein the sponge can be readily removed and replaced.

Yet another object of this invention is to produce a sponge mop of the type described wherein a sheet of reinforcing material is secured across the top of the sponge to prevent wearing and tearing of the sponge during the squeezing operation.

A still further object of this invention is to produce a sponge mop of the type described wherein the operating linkage is simple, inexpensive and compact.

Still another object of this invention is to produce a sponge mop of the type described having locking means for resiliently locking the operating linkage in a non-operating out-of-the way position.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a sponge mop illustrative of an embodiment of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the sponge being squeezed;

Fig. 3 is a vertical section view taken along line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the device of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the device of Fig. 1.

Referring now to the drawings a sponge mop 10 is contiguous with the top of the plate 15.

A mop handle 25 is removably attachable to the handle receiving arm 21 by being inserted into a recess 26 at the upper end of the arm and locked in place as by a screw 27.

The means for squeezing the sponge will now be described. This consists generally of an operating linkage 28 having an operating lever 29 and an intermediate leverage transmitting link 30. The operating lever 2? has one end 31 pivotally mounted Within a bifurcated portion 32 which extends downwardly from the handle receiving arm 21. The other end 33 of the operating lever extends upwardly and rearwardly to serve as a handle for manual operation of the linkage 28.

The leverage transmitting link 30 is channel shaped and hasone end 39 pivotally secured within the bifurcated lug 18 of the rear plate 16 as by a nut and bolt 42 and extends upwardly therefrom. The other end 35 of the link is pivotally secured Within the intermediate U-shaped portion 36 of the operating lever 29 as by a rivet 37 or any other suitable means.

The coaction of the lever 29 and link 36 and their pivotal connection to the arm 21 and plate 16 provide an operating linkage which is manually operable to bend over a sponge and squeeze it thoroughly. Further the lever and link assembly provides a mechanical advantage so that a housewife can squeeze the sponge dry without physical strain. To accomplish this the outer end 33 of the lever is forced away from the mop handle 25, the movement being transmitted through the link 30 to the plate 16. The path of movement of the plate 16 is confined by the sponge 11 and the reinforcing sheet 29 so that the plate moves arcuately downwardly to a position adjacent the front plate-13 with the sponge doubled over 9' betwe n ssences .31! oge e L innerend ci sa ed m ber 32 a d ha dl receiving. m 2L7 J. Operating lever, 29 takenas a whole funetions .as a

, wringing lever by meansof which. the operator: o fithe mop applies Wrin'gingforce to the two mop plates; After thereoetween. Rotation of lever 29 produces simultaneons'translatien' and rotation of wringing member 30,

' thereby moving it from its position shown in Fig. 1 to 118, n a me? rlat i t th ifi l Washers? .tween the plates over which the bending is distributed? However, because of therfree portion 1 9and the pivotal connection of the link 3% to the lever 29 and plate 16 the bending of the sponge is not controlled smficiently toinsure'therear 14 meeting the front i3 so that every against which it is sqn'eezedf In other 'words, there.

vides a single axis of rotation about which the two plates ill always move'to 'bringtheir respective outer edges accurately together. Therefore to insure accurate'bend: ing the presentinvention provides a stop piece 38 secured across the intermediate u shapedportion 36 of the opera portion of the sponge is opposed another o -t i no hinge connection between plates 15 and 16. that pro;

4 Ward therefrom. Thestud has a bent portion 41 shaped to accommodate and be resiliently displaced'by the slot 39, so that when the lever 29 is raised the stud 40 engages the slot to the extent that the bent portion 41 is within the slot. The bent portion then resiliently holds the lever 29 adjacent and parallel to the' r nop handle 25 until sufficient pressure is applied to resiliently displace the stud to remove the bent portion from engagement with the slot. Eli-i r a e f om the ab ve de c tion nd rm the drawings "that the present. sponge mop provides a structure requiring a minimum of materials and labor to pro dude and is of a construction wherein the upwardly extending parts are concentrated adjacent the mop handle so-that the sponge can be used in places where there is low clearance. Also, the use of the cloth reinforcing sheet-2i) acts as a butter to prevent damage to furniture ating lever 2? to engageiand limit the relative'movernent' sponge. As will he seen from Fig stop piece38 open ates to determine the are through which pivot lugs. 18 sw g r n e fi lsauesz ng a i n at th n 9f h wringing operation. During the latter part ofthe V n n 3 rea O ratin lev r Z n an n 't v link 3%} in efiec-t a rigid structure so far as further clo gli ivisem i i are 39 ab r vet $7 is enem Stop 3 m fl r e s a ae m sm g 9 11 1. in t P ane f t t n o mem er 3 o a rede rm n .arcnate path having its center atthe'pivot point where 7 end 31 oflever 22is rotatably attached; and a radius equal to the length of the third side of the triangle of which rds t Whe further mov ment "o g 1 isj orlped one .eempl ie d l d'm pisi Seen that in e QPflfii Qn 9f he r nsam pl of arms two reactions: The po t on fgf e ra s ever winne end-E a d e i iritv n intermed te The connection with front plate i through th ating' lever 2-9,.which'is pivoted at a i i n fix d wi h r pect tom prl t i r' g lh the operator'has moved the'wringing lever thri ough a certain amount of counterclockwise rotation as seen in Fig 2; stop means 38 carried 'by ieve'r'29 maintains the two arms of the articulated bridge 'means in a rigid con.- dition as long as counterclockwise wringing force co ntinues to be applied. When thejoperator moves the wringing lever in a clockwise direction as seen in Fig. Z to unfold the foldedrspon ge block, the two arms of thear; ticulated bridge reach a point where they begin to, cola lapse together, and continue thisre lative angular move? ment until the/operating lever-has been movedninto a position substantially parallel to the, handle of the mop. In order to keep the-operating linkage in a compactj out-of-tlie waylposition when notlsqueezin'g the sponge,

lqckingmeans are provided. *lj'hisiloclcihg means a horizontal'slot'39 in the operatingzlever' interrnediate V -the rivet 37 andthelower 31 of the lever 'e z' a M Seemed to h ndle res iaa mg l as.

y b n ld dv' sQlde ed'Ihe -ewr ud it of the link with respectto 'leverso that the rear V will always be squeezed flush with the front 13 of the I or the likewhenthe mop is in use.

Further, the sponge portion'of'the mop of this inven tion can be simply removed andreplaced'bya nother mop or bye wax applicator or any other desirable implement.

Iclaim as my invention: 4 r 1. A sponge mop, comprising: a "block of sponge material havingtop, front and rear portions; a liront plate secured across said 'topportion of said sponge adjacent said front portion; a handle receiving arm secured to said front plate and-extending upwardly therefrom; a handle mountable insaid handle receiving arm; 'a. rear plate secured'aerossthe top'portion of the sponge adjacent said rear-portiomsaid front and rear plates being spaced'from each 'otherjsaid sponge having a flexibleportion inter- I mediate said-platesjind sai'd plates being free ofany hinge connection therehetween providingfar single axis of rotation for relativevangular movement of said two plates; a sheet of reinforcing material securedto the plates lever engageable'with thedink. to "limit relative move hisi i en o h cn rat l ka e i st bsd h 1 '1?nl 3: ,..n Iin 'jf comp e an ticulat d br dg me s ri s: r mee in warm r plate i t z m rno r te mentof the, link with respect to the lever, movement of a dlsv r' s na r fi d.t wu h sa d n t he rear, r ata $!-QP r w? l m i t m v taen o said l n were 9 a t cm 'it la a' i a e rdewm Wardlyin thedirection of the front plate bending the 99 25? u n itself. d a s-en ist e we n he k the-ar ane'ra hit lg ed by there n: f ,P Qt I cenn'ection between said intermediate leverage transmitting 2 5 and sa d e we at he nd cfsai ps aeezm -opr fiml hav n t ente at thapq rit c riv ta wa esafl lbe vern a d ian iere d in par and. sai "aeafire lever! sa d a r d u ast w t n t f he 'th'n'd 's'ide ot the-triangle of which the operating lever andth in e me ia leverage transm tting in orm the the other two sides. 7 V V 1 a p e m .q g'la in 1 wher i th sponge d Pl tes aredet jl lie tram s id and andl e e g annfc as erla amanta am ns; 9f claim her n, lo n m a are provided to releasably lock the operating lever in an no era le maiden-1 r.

4 The sponge men of .elairn 3 wherein the 'lQCk lg.

'means comprises a'resilien't length extending frernthel andle r achi g. arm, ave a heat Per -L0 h o d a slot ill tile operating lever shaped'to accoinmedate said length, the evel bei g ock d y engagement ott em' portion'in thesiot in a position adjacent and suhstantially;

garallel to he handleand, handlereceivi ng arm g 7 A mop, comprising a block of spongeana: tonal. having top, front 'and-. rear portions; ,a .front plate asu ed ro' s t p p rt on s id po e a ia said front portion; a handle receiving arm secured to said -l l ir lafiiand extending :npwardly therefrom; a handle mountable in said handle receiving arm; a rear plate secured across the top portion of the sponge adjacent said rear portion, said front and rear plates being spaced from each other, said sponge having a flexible portion intermediate said plates, and said plates being free of any hinge connection therebetween providing a single axis of rotation for relative angular movement of said two plates; an operating lever having an end pivotally connected to said handle receiving arm and another end extending outwardly for manual operation; an intermediate leverage transmitting link having an end pivotally connected to the rear plate and another end pivotally connected to said operating lever intermediate the ends; and a stop piece secured to one of said operating lever and leverage transmitting link, said stop piece being engageable with the other of said members to limit relative movement of the link with respect to the lever, movement of said lever being transmitted through said link to the rear plate, said stop piece limiting the movement of said link member so as to force the rear plate arcuately downwardly in the direction of the front plate bending the sponge upon itself and squeezing it between the plates, the arcuate path followed by the point of pivotal connection between said intermediate leverage transmitting link and said rear plate at the end of said squeezing operation having its center at the point of pivotal connection between said handle receiving portion and said operating lever, and a radius equal to the length of the thirdside of the triangle of which the operating lever and the intermediate leverage transmitting link form the other two sides.

6. A sponge mop, comprising: a block of sponge material having top, front and rear portions; a front plate secured across said top portion of said sponge adjacent said front portion; a handle receiving arm secured to said front plate and extending upwardly therefrom; a handle mountable in said handle receiving arm; a rear plate secured across the top portion of the sponge adjacent said rear portion, said front and rear plates being spaced from each other, said sponge having a flexible portion intermediate said plates, and said plates being free of any hinge connection therebetween providing a single axis of rotation for relative angular movement of said two plates; a sheet of reinforcing material secured to the plates and said flexible portion of the sponge; an operating lever having an end pivotally connected to said handle receiving arm and another end extending outwardly for manual operation; an intermediate leverage transmitting link having an end pivotally connected to the rear plate and another end pivotally connected to said operating lever intermediate the ends; and a stop piece secured to one of said operating lever and leverage transmitting link, said stop piece being engageable with the other of said members to limit relative movement of the link with respect to the lever, movement of said lever being transmitted through said link to the rear plate, said stop piece limiting the movement of said link member so as to force the rear plate arcuately downwardly in the direction of the front plate bending the sponge upon itself and squeezing it between the plates, the arcuate path followed by the point of pivotal connection between said intermediate leverage transmitting link and said rear plate at the end of said squeezing operation having its center at the point of pivotal connection between said handle receiving portion and said operating lever, and a radius equal to the length of the third side of the triangle of which the operating lever and the intermediate leverage transmitting link form the other two sides.

7. A sponge mop, comprising: a block of sponge material having top, front and rear portions; a front mop plate secured across said top portion of said sponge adjacent said front portion, said mop plate having an inner and an outer edge; a rear mop plate secured across the top portion of the sponge adjacent said rear portion, said rear mop plate having an inner and an outer edge, the inner edge of said rear mop plate being spaced from the inner edge of said front mop plate, said sponge having a flexible portion intermediate said plates, and said plates being free of any hinge connection therebetween providing a single axis of rotation for relative angular movement of said two plates; a handle receiving socket secured to one of said mop plates and extending upwardly therefrom; a handle mountable in said handle receiving socket; bridge means comprising an articulated arrangement of two links, one of said links being rotatably connected with said socket upon one of said mop plates and the other of said links being rotatably connected with the other of said mop plates; a wringing lever carried by one of said two links for applying wringing force to said other mop plate; and stop means carried by one of said ridge means and wringing lever to limit movement of said articulated links during application of wringing force to said wringing lever to maintain said articulated bridge in a rigid condition upon angular movement of the wringing lever in one direction and thereby confine the movement of the outer edge of said other mop plate at least during the latter part of the wringing operation to a predetermined arcuate path bringing said outer edge substantially flush with the outer edge of the socket-bearing plate when the two plates have swung around and compressed said sponge block between them, while permitting the articulated bridge means to collapse upon angular movement of said wringing lever in the opposite direction.

8. A sponge mop, comprising: a block of sponge material having top, front and rear portions; a front mop plate secured across said top portion of said sponge adjacent said front portion, said mop plate having an inner and an outer edge; a rear mop plate secured across the top portion of the sponge adjacent said rear portion, said rear mop plate having an inner and an outer edge, the inner edge of said rear mop plate being spaced from the inner edge of said front mop plate, said sponge having a flexible portion intermediate said plates, and said plates being free of any hinge connection therebetween providing a single axis of rotation for relative angular movement of said two plates; a handle receiving socket secured to one of said mop plates and extending upwardly therefrom; a handle mountable in said handle receiving socket; a sheet of flexible material secured to the mop plates and said flexible portion of the sponge block; bridge means comprising an articulated arrangement of two links, one of said links being rotatably connected with said socket upon one of said mop plates and the other of said links being rotatably connected with the other of said mop plates; at wringing lever carried by one of said two links for applying wringing force to said other mop plate; and stop means carried by one of said bridge means and wringing lever to limit movement of said articulated links during application of wringing force to said wringing lever to maintain said articulated bridge in a rigid condition upon angular movement of the wringing lever in one direction and thereby confine the movement of the outer edge of said other mop plate at least during the latter part of the wringing operation to a predetermined arcuate path bringing said outer edge substantially flush with the outer edge of the socket-bearing plate when the two plates have swung around and compressed said sponge block between them, while permitting the articulated bridge means to collapse upon angular movement of said wringing lever in the opposite direction.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,653,336 Bern-sden Sept. 29, 1953 2,742,659 McGraw Apr. 24, 1956 2,750,613 Trindl June 19, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 304,665 Switzerland Apr. 1, 1955 738,613 Great Britain Oct. 19, 1955 744,251 Great Britain Feb. 1, 1956 

